Issue 27: March 2026 (gratis)

OF NOTE MARCH 2026

AN ISSUE OF THE  MEEK

They Say the Meek Shall Inherit the Earth

As we move through the end of winter towards the first day of Spring on March 20th I am moved by the season. The 40 days of Lent call me to reflect on the Beatitudes and The Sermon On The Mount. I keep coming back to: Blessed are the meek. They shall inherit the Earth. 

In these times when people claiming to be devout Christians are actively slaughtering and attempting to annex land that belongs to those they slaughter I wonder what meekness means to such Christians…or the Beatitudes in general. What is meekness? Meekness according to Webster is a state of submission. So an aggressor is not meek by definition. Is lack of meekness what drives a person like Putin to slaughter? Is it that simple? I don’t know. Those who express meekness are also often very patient and able to endure great adversity and challenge. Is it through such patience that the meek will inherit the Earth? Or is this just a riddle? What is meekness to a person who is defending their home and land? Certainly not submission to their aggressor. Is meekness a submission to God? It must be…but who can decide what is of God and what isn’t? That ultimately comes down to the individual’s own discernment and right of Conscience. So, if Putin truly believes the invasion of a sovereign country is what God is telling him to do can he be held accountable for all the death his actions have caused? Here on Earth I truly hope so. 

In California there are many people who have inherited land from parents and grandparents. This inheritance has caused great inequity in tax payments and property value vs. property price. Many people who inherited property don’t know how and can not afford to maintain the property and petition the government to support them through healthcare and food assistance. They don’t want to give up the property because they feel they are entitled to it. They are unwilling to submit to the reality of their financial situation. It is a frustration and hinderance. But I’m still thinking about this word “meek”. Christ said it is a blessing to be meek. But meekness in common language has a very negative connotation. It is a weakness. Certainly Christ didn’t mean one is supposed to submit to an invader. Then again, he did carry that cross. I don’t know. We all just end up in a hole in the ground eventually. It’s a seasonal riddle that nibbles at me every year. What is blessed about being meek? What does it mean to inherit the Earth? Well, it’s something to think about while reading this issue, anyway.

On a final note, I’d like to introduce you to Dr. Lateef McLeod, 1UV MONTHLY Magazine’s new Contributing Columnist (pg. 21). I met Lateef while living in Oakland, CA between 2011 and 2018. We met at a weekly poetry/spoken word slam produced by HotWaterCornbread and hosted at The Air Lounge in Old Oakland. Lateef performed at events I organized and produced as well. I enjoy his poetry and personality and hope you read his quarterly offerings in the new 1UV column: A Chair With A View. 

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